The present disclosure relates generally to medical treatments. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to solutions used for dialysis therapy.
Due to disease, insult or other causes, a person's renal system can fail. In renal failure of any cause, there are several physiological derangements. The balance of water, minerals and the excretion of daily metabolic load are no longer possible in renal failure. During renal failure, toxic end products of nitrogen metabolism (e.g., urea, creatinine, uric acid and others) can accumulate in blood and tissues.
Kidney failure and reduced kidney function have been treated with dialysis. Dialysis removes waste, toxins and excess water from the body that would otherwise have been removed by normal functioning kidneys. Dialysis treatment for replacement of kidney functions is critical to many people because the treatment is life saving. One who has failed kidneys could not continue to live without replacing at least the filtration functions of the kidneys.
Past studies have shown that end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are deficient in pyrophosphate. For example, pyrophosphate is thought to be instrumental in prevention of calcification of soft tissues and pyrophosphate deficiencies may be a risk factor in calciphylaxis. Plasma and cell bound (erythrocyte) pyrophosphate is reduced approximately 30% in dialysis patents over normal individuals even though the kidney that normally clears pyrophosphate from circulation is not functioning. These levels are below those previously shown to prevent vascular calcification of vessels in culture. Replacement of pyrophosphate in dialysis patients may inhibit the formation of calcium deposits in vessels and thus vascular calcification. Therefore, stable dialysis solutions containing this compound may be highly beneficial.